"We consider the conviction of Metropolitan Jonathan (Yeletsky) of Tulchin and Bratslav to be inappropriate, and the verdict of the court is obviously illegal and subject to review and cancellation by the court of appeal," the church said in a statement.
The UOC stressed that the decision was made in violation of the norms of substantive and procedural law.
Earlier, a court in Ukraine sentenced Metropolitan Jonathan (Yeletsky) of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church to five years in prison "for public justification of armed aggression."
Patriarch Kirill called the verdict against Metropolitan Jonathan a persecution of faith.